Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation
The Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1994. It operates as a corporate foundation affiliated with Mars, Incorporated and maintains tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status since May 1995.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.9M
+2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+10.9% YoY
Grant Count
37
+5.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+4.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education, with particular emphasis on literacy
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
- Arts and culture, including literary arts
- Children and youth
- Environmental conservation
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Pennsylvania
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Baltimore, Maryland
- New Hampshire
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $16,885,262
- Total giving: $1,081,498
- Revenue: $1,748,764
- Expenses: $1,289,796
- Total liabilities: $0
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total assets: $16,426,401
- Total revenues: $535,496
- Total expenses: $1,156,810
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,885,262 | $16,426,401 | $17,117,715 |
| Revenue | $1,748,764 | $535,496 | $931,239 |
| Expenses | $1,289,796 | $1,156,810 | $1,125,801 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,098,012 | $986,515 | $970,137 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,205,233 | $280,348 | $369,743 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,029,696 | $939,262 | $956,428 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
174 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust ($50,000), Children's Art Guild ($50,000), Everybody Matters ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ANSONIA MUSIC OUTREACH NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| AUSBON SARGENT LAND PRESERVATION TRUST NEW LONDON, NH | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| BEACON HOUSE COMMUNITY MINISTRY INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| BEHIND THE BOOK NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CAPITAL FRINGE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CHILDREN'S ART GUILD NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOUNDATION INC BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| CRITICAL EXPOSURE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| EVERYBODY MATTERS PHOENIX, AZ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALERIE A MARS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAMELA D MARS-WRIGHT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARIJKE E MARS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| VICTORIA B MARS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE J SCHUETZ | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| BERNADETTE RUSSELL | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| KIMBERLY-PACIFIC WISE | VICE-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER M WHITE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN F WHITE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHARLOTTE A ROSSETTER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ANDREW D SPINA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KYRA M DOYLE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHANCE J WRIGHT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Location: 140 Broadway, New York, NY 10005
- Telephone: 212-493-8851
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education, with particular emphasis on literacy • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services • Arts and culture, including literary arts • Children and youth • Environmental conservation
How do I apply for a grant from Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $10,000–$50,000 • The foundation made 32 grants in 2023, totaling approximately $1,015,000 • Types of support include general operating support and project support **Recent Grant Recipients (2023):** • Mighty Writers: $50,000 • Children's Arts Guild: $50,000 • Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust: $50,000
Where does Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Pennsylvania • District of Columbia • New York • Baltimore, Maryland • New Hampshire • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Washington, D.C.
What size grants does Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation award?
In 2024, Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation's EIN?
Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3798973. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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